EJ Obiena used his wornout pole for the last time and settled for a fourth-place finish Sunday in the Stockholm leg of the 2021 Wanda Diamond League series at the Olympic Stadium in Sweden.
Entering the final stretch of his training, Obiena cleared a height of 5.82 meters that was good for fourth place, although the mark allowed him to surpass the Olympic Qualifying Standard of 5.80 meters for the fifth time.
If it was any consolation, Obiena beat world’s no. 3 Piotr Lisek of Poland and world’s no. 5, American Christopher Nilsen.
It took Obiena two attempts to clear the height, before making an attempt for a Philippine record.
Unfortunately he missed hitting the 5.92-meter mark in all his three tries.
“Hindi siya gaanong 100 percent ngayon, katatapos lang kasi nu’ng isang competition niya,” said EJ’s dad Emerson.
World record holder Armand Duplantis again went on to create ripples in the tournament as he smashed the meet mark of 6.01 meters last year by leaping a centimeter higher at 6.02.
Duplantis even attempted to break his world record of 6.15, but he was not able to clear 6.19 meters.
American Sam Kendricks, the no. 2 in the world, and Frenchman Rene Lavilanne had a 5.92, but the latter claimed the bronze on the countback.
It was Obiena’s last event as he will now get ready to head back to his training base in Formia, Italy, before leaving for Japan for the Tokyo Olympics. His new pole recently arrived in Italy.
Last Friday, Obiena competed and won the gold medal in 2021 Taby Stavhoppsgala Street Pole Vault in Sweden.
Obiena and two others hit the 5.80 meter mark, but he clinched the gold after surpassing the height in one attempt.
Olympic champion Thiago Braz of Brazil and American bet Andrew Irwin placed second and third, respectively.